Press Release

PUC Appoints Allison Kaster as Director of Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement

Published on 2/1/2024

Filed under: Electric Gas Motor Carrier Pipeline Rails Telecommunications Transportation and Safety Water and Wastewater

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today announced the appointment of Allison Kaster, of Harrisburg, as Director and Chief Prosecutor of the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E), effective immediately. 

“Allison has served this Commission and this Commonwealth for almost 20 years and has continually stepped up and into new leadership roles,” said PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank. “My fellow Commissioners and I believe she is prepared for this opportunity to lead this large and important bureau. We have full confidence that her extensive experience will significantly contribute to the public interest.”

As Director and Chief Prosecutor, Kaster will lead a staff of about 100 in the independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, which enforces state and federal pipeline safety, electric safety and motor carrier safety laws and regulations, and represents the public interest in ratemaking and service matters before the PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge.  I&E has the authority to bring enforcement action, seek emergency orders from the Commission or take other steps to ensure public safety.

Kaster replaces Richard A. Kanaskie, who recently retired. Since 2016, she served as the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement’s Rates Division, where she supervised a team of attorneys and coordinated litigation strategy for all Rates Division cases. 

Prior to becoming Deputy Chief of I&E’s Rates Division, she served as a rates prosecutor, assigned to rate-related cases of increasing technical, legal, and procedural complexity.

Kaster joined the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission in 2004, representing the public interest in all matters that have an impact on rates including base rate cases, Section 1307(f) proceedings, and various other public utility filings. 

Kaster graduated from The Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law with a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution and Advocacy. Throughout law school, Ms. Kaster served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edgar Bayley, Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas. 

Kaster earned her bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Virginia.  

Kaster resides in Harrisburg, Dauphin County.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Contact:

• David Hixson
  Deputy Press Secretary
  717-772-2766
  dhixson@pa.gov